The child who brought the smile
by Ruler of the Fake Empire
Summary: Just a little sad story of a fatherly Levi, and his ability to surprise. Please take the time to read this, it means a lot to me. Thank you.


The child was far too small to be considered anything at all. Simply hopeless and probably hungry as well. All she did was cry and sit in the corner of the room in a terrified state. Still Eren attempted to make peace with her, bearing gifts of what little food they had, and his kindest smile, but still she feared him.

She had been discovered on one of the many ventures out of the walls, wailing like nothing else. Eren had brought he back, with what he figured to be good intentions, he knew that she wouldn't of survived if he hadn't. She looked no more than two and no more capable of looking after herself than a baby. Most likely her whole family was dead and all who cared for her no longer breathing, so here was Eren with a piece of bread in his hand, hoping that she would eat.

Armin sat primly by the door, he had already given up trying to gain the girl's trust as had Mikasa who sat next to them. They were the only people in the whole regiment awake at this ungodly hour. The moon shone brightly, but it brought none of them any solace. All eyes were on the child as she tried to hide within the wall, fear etched on her face. Neither Eren nor Armin had the conscience to be angry at her, they had no idea what she had been through. Mikasa on the other hand was annoyed and wanted desperately to go back to bed. Unfortunately she didn't trust either of her companions with the child even if she did decided they meant her no harm. While she didn't particularly like the child she was in no mood for another causality.

At this point Eren decided that he would try physical contact, before his hand even got to her she let out an ear piercing scream and everyone except her froze. Each of them waited for some alarm to go off, for some warning to come. For the tension building music before the curtain dropped. They had, of course, neglected to tell anyone of Eren's epically impulsive decision.

Unfortunately they received no warning, only a sense of foreboding, before the door was opened and the captain stood in the door way, eyes screaming bloody murder.

"What the hell wa-" he stopped mid sentence, thin eyes landing on the quivering young girl. For once in his whole life his eyes seemed to soften. If that's what it must be called. He paused, his face twisted in surprise. The girl looked back at him, she had these wonderful jade eyes, murky with brown and tears. Their eyes locked. Blue on green. She slowly blinked to him, as if she was acknowledging his presence while still fearing it.

Armin, Eren, and Mikasa watched nervously, wondering when their silent conversation would reach its peak. Slowly, Levi moved forward. He walked with purpose as he always did, his stride never faltering, but slower and more careful than usual. Eren stood making way for the older man, knowing on some subconscious level that he knew what he was doing. Levi crouched, his expression never changing. No one dared disturbed the silence and the care. It would of just felt wrong to override the captain and the child. Very slowly he held his hand out for the child to take. He didn't look at her expectantly, his expression held nothing. It demanded nothing and thus gained what it wanted. After a few minutes the girl reached out and placed her palm in his.

"I am the captain" he said very quietly. "What is your name?" Eren almost fainted. Never did he think Levi was capable of tenderness. He, himself, thought he was pretty nice looking and the girl had screamed when he came near her. Levi, on the other hand, was truly terrifying but she handed herself over in less that five minutes.

The little girl shook her head, tears in her eyes.

"That's okay, would you like a new name for now?" He seemed to understand everything that was going on in her head just from a simple shake of her dirty blond hair. She looked at him for a moment, eyes still glistening with new born tears. But these tears were not of misery or terror, these tears were born of relief. She shook her head again. "That's fine, ma cheri" Eren didn't understand what language the nickname was from, but it sounded gentle. His movements were gradual and slow, so that the child knew exactly what he was doing. Levi opened his arms for her and she immediately took refuge within them. She buried her nose in his collarbone, like he was her last life line to reality. Levi stood, his arms around the girl. He looked to Eren and held out his hand, holding the child on his hip.

"The bread" Eren handed it over, still stunned to silence at the display of care he had never thought he would see. When Levi grasped the bread he sat down on the floor, his legs crossed, the girl in his lap. He began to tear at the hard crusted bread with his teeth, eating with a nonchalant expression. The girl watched him as she gripped on to his shirt. Levi slid a glance down at the girl as he chewed. "Would you like some?" She nodded eagerly and reached out her little hands for the bread. He gave it to her with a small smile. A smile no one in the room had ever seen before. Once she had her soft, chubby hands on the husk of bread she promptly shoved it into her mouth, tears forgotten. "What do you say, ma cheri?"

She swallowed heavily.

"Thank you, Captain" she smiled at him and he stood once again. He switched his gaze to Eren… to Armin… to Mikasa. They each started at him dumbfounded.

"I will deal with you three in morning" and with that he walked back out of the room, a little girl eating bread happily in his arms.

The girl often had nightmares as the years pasted, but Levi was always there. He taught her how to read. He tried to give her anything she wanted. He watched her get older and he knew she loved him. He was her Captain. He was all she had ever know and she was all he had ever cherished. Every now and then he would leave and she would wait patiently for him to return. He looked after her like she was the only thing keeping him alive and it was… beautiful and heartbreaking, because he was destined for death and they all knew it, except her. She was so certain that he was above death. Above the idea of his demise. Too powerful to be brought down by any means.

One day many, many years later the scouting regiment returned and Eren got down on one knee before her, with tears in his eyes he presented her with a scrappy green patch with the symbol he so adored.

"The captain is no longer with us"

She had screamed, her frail body unable to hold her mourning inside. Tears had hit the pavement and the sky opened up. Eren had cried with her, together the grieving children of humanities lost solider. Their were loud tears and quiet tears, tears of misery, and tears of pure horror, but tears were in abundance. The hurt ran to deep not to express.

Far away was a man sat exhausted with blood steaming on his hands wondering where on earth his patch had gotten to.


End file.
